Hams of the finest quality come from pigs of the Iberian breed, characterized by their dark coat and black hoofs, thus giving rise to the familiar name "jamon pata negra", or "black hoof ham", by which they are also known.

To prevent abuses, the term "pata negra" (black hoof) has been limited to top-quality hams since 2014. These two words can be used on the label only if the following requirements are met:

100% Iberian breed: The pigs must be pure Iberian; i.e., they cannot be the result of a cross between a 100% Iberian pig and a pig of another breed (or a crossbred pig).

Bellota (acorn-fed): The pigs must be raised on the open range for at least the final 2 or 3 months, eating acorns and natural grasses in Spanish woodlands.

Nonetheless, all Iberian hams are popularly known in Spain as "pata negra", whether pure or crossbred and no matter what their diet.

Common misunderstandings:

There are pigs with dark skin or hoofs that are not of the Iberian breed, and hams from those animals are not of comparable quality or characteristics. Such is the case of the Duroc, Duroc-Jersey and Mangalica breeds.

There are strains of the Iberian breed that do not have black skin, such as the "Manchado de Jabugo" (spotted pig) or the Torbiscal. There are also Iberian pigs with light-coloured hoofs, whose hams are every bit as good as those from other varieties of the Iberian breed.

Origin of the Iberian breed

The Iberian pig (Sus Scrofa Mediterraneus) whose unique origin can be traced back to ancient times, is found in herds clustered in the central and southern territory of the Iberian Peninsula.

The most commonly accepted theory is that the first pigs were brought to the Iberian Peninsula by the Phoenicians from the Eastern Mediterranean coast (current day Lebanon) where they interbred with wild boars. This cross gave rise to the first Iberian breeds whose origins, in this case, can be traced back to about the year 1000 B.C.

Breed Varieties

Retinto Iberian pig

Manchado de Jabugo (left) and Torbiscal (right) Iberian pigs

Pigs of Mediterranean origin found in Spain are of different varieties, strains or ecological adaptations known generically as "Iberian pigs" (Aparicio Macarro, J.B. "El Cerdo Ibérico.", 1987). The most common strains of Iberian pig are:

These varieties have similar genetic characteristics; the Manchado de Jabugo (spotted pig) is the farthest removed, having originated in the early 19th century as a result of interbreeding of foreign (probably English) breeds with the local population of Iberian pigs.

Hams from the Entrepelado and Lampiño varieties are the most marbled with fat, giving them greater flavour and aroma than hams from other Iberian varieties. Torbiscal is the result of a fusion of four ancestral breeds. The most widespread varieties are Retinto and Lampiño.

Crossbreeding

Pigs: Large Black (left) and Duroc (right)

During the 19th and 20th centuries crossbreeding with imported breeds was attemped with the aim of increasing productivity of the animals (shorter growing periods, higher carcass weight, etc.). In extensive farming the results were not particularly promising, in general because of insufficient adaptation to the environment.

The most successful crosses were Large Black-Duroc or Duroc-Jersey, in particular. The Duroc-Jersey cross is admitted by all of the Designations of Origin, as long as the percentage of that breed is not greater than 25% (the remaining 75% must be pure Iberian). In 1961 the first Duroc-Jersey swine were imported from the United States by the Spanish Livestock Selection Coordination Board (Junta Coordinadora de la Mejora Ganadera de España). The animals' reddish coloured skin enabled them to adapt well to the intense sunlight, as became apparent during their first summer in Extremadura.

The most notable difference between Iberian and cross breeds is seen during grazing. Iberian pigs constantly explore the terrain, as they selectively, instintively forage for available resources. Cross breeds, being less selective, are also less active.

As for performance, the Duroc-Jersey cross is more prolific and develops earlier, with a shorter production cycle and less fat, larger litters and higher weights both at weaning and during the fattening period. It has a lower percentage of lard and a longer carcass; the disadvantage is that hams are of lower quality.

Pig-growing areas

At present Iberian pigs are grown in the southwestern part of the Iberian peninsula, predominantly in Extremadura, Andalusia (especially Cordoba, Huelva, Seville and Cadiz), Salamanca and Portugal. Extensive farming calls for a specific ecosystem - the "dehesa", as it is known here - characterized by extensive tracts of land with sparsely populated woods of holm and cork oaks, found only in these regions.

About jamon...

A plate of "jamon iberico pata negra"

Legend has it that hams were created when a pig one day fell into a gully with very salty water, and drowned. Shepherds found the pig and roasted it, discovering that the meat - particularly the hind leg - had a pleasant flavour. Later they discovered that when the hind leg was salted it lasted longer without losing its flavour, and the method was thereafter perfected. Today, ham constitutes one of the world's most exquisite products.

"Pata negra" jamones are elongated, and the leg above the hoof is long and slender. Colour ranges from rosy to purplish red. They have aromas that are intense, pleasing and highly nuanced; their flavor is very delicate, with the faintest hint of saltiness. The flesh is smooth, and the fat is lustrous and soft to the touch.

A jamon should be cut into very thin slices. For this purpose you should have a proper ham knife, sharpener and stand, and follow slicing recommendations to enjoy it in optimum conditions.

Ham grades

The quality of a ham depends mainly on the pig breed and how and what it has been fed. The more pure the breed and the longer it has lived in the woodlands eating acorns, the better the jamon will be.

The law requires this information to be specified on the label and expressly bans using brand names that may confuse the consumer. For example, if the pig has not eaten acorns and has not been reared on the open range, the ham may not be sold under a brand containing words such as "bellota" (acorn), "dehesa" (open range or woodland) or "encina" (holm oak).

100% Iberian: Hams from animals that are 100% genetically pure Iberian. That is, both parents - mother and father - must be 100% Iberian and registered in the official genealogy book.

Iberian: Hams from animals with at least 50% of their genetic makeup from the Iberian pig breed. The mothers must always be 100% Iberian but the fathers may be Duroc or Iberian/Duroc crossbreeds.

Diet:

Bellota grade: The pig must arrive in the woodland weighing at least 100 kg and feed on acorns and natural grasses for at least 2 months, with no compound feed supplement, until it gains about 50 kg. From the time of birth until it is moved to the woodland it is fed mother's milk and compound feed. The minimum age at slaughter is 14 months, whereas white pigs for fresh meat are usually slaughtered when only 6 months old.

Cebo de Campo grade: The pigs eat compound feed and grass for at least 2 months before slaughter in an area that is completely or partially uncovered with a minimum of 100 m2 available per animal. In other words, only 100 pigs at most may be fattened in an enclosure occupying 1 hectare. These large spaces enable the animals to move around freely and exercise their muscles, resulting in better-quality ham. The minimum age for slaughter is 12 months.

Cebo grade: Each pig has only 2 m2 available, eats compound feed, and the minimum age for slaughter is 10 months.

The former "recebo grade" has been eliminated by the new 2014 law. It covered hams from pigs fattened in woodlands eating acorns and compound feed supplement. They are now either "bellota grade" or "cebo grade".

Inspection and monitoring are carried out by private companies accredited by the government. Breeders must hire them to certify that their facilities and procedures meet the legal requirements.

Legislation on ham labelling

Official security seals for iberico hams (Photo: Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment of Spain)

Up until the end of the 20th century the names "Jamon Iberico" and "Jamon Pata Negra" were often used indiscriminately to refer to pigs that were in fact crossbreeds. To avoid consumer confusion and prevent unfair competition, initial minimum standards were imposed on the market by Royal Decree 1083/2001(spanish), stipulating that animals whose production was included in the legislation were required to have a minimum of 50% Iberian blood (from pure Iberian breed sows).

Under this legislation, products regulated by these quality control standards could only be obtained from the offspring of pure Iberian breeder sows and breeder boars that are pure Iberian, Duroc, or Duroc-Jersey, or a cross of those breeds.

Name of the company responsible for monitoring compliance with the law

The same legal measure specifies that the security seals on the shanks must be of different colors in order to distinguish clearly between the different products:

BLACK: 100% Iberian Bellota

RED: Iberian Bellota (50% or 75%)

GREEN: Cebo de Campo (whatever the breed purity)

WHITE : Cebo (whatever the breed purity)

The designation "Pata negra" (black hoof) may be placed only on labels of 100% Iberian Bellota pieces. And "dehesa" (woodland) and "montanera" (free-range fattening or finishing period) on Bellota grade pieces.

Research

AECERIBER(spanish) (Asociación Española de Criadores de Ganado Porcino Ibérico Puro y Tronco Ibérico) as well as some universities in Andalusia and Extremadura are carrying out intensive research in the Iberian swine sector. The results of their studies can be found on the following websites:

Archivos de Zootecnia journal website(spanish): the international journal of the University of Cordoba, which publishes original research in the area of animal production, and in particular, the Iberian pig.

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